Chongqing is built on steep hills where the Yangtze and Jialing rivers meet. Roads run over rooftops, trains run through buildings, and the riverfront glows every night. In 2025 it was the fastest-growing China destination for Thai travellers on Trip.com, and it is about three hours from Bangkok on direct flights. It is also a major manufacturing centre and the starting point for Three Gorges river cruises.
Want Chongqing planned for you? Hotels for your budget, tickets booked on release, halal meals and directions, in a free detailed plan. Plan Chongqing free →
- Airports
- Jiangbei International (CKG), Terminal 3 for Bangkok flights
- Best time
- Mid-April to May and late September to early November
- How long
- 3 to 4 days (add a day for Wulong or Dazu)
- Good for
- Night views, food, film locations, Yangtze River journeys
What to see
01
Hongyadong (洪崖洞)
Stilt buildings stacked on the cliff above the river. Free to enter. The lights come on around 18:00–20:00 depending on the season. For the classic photo, cross Qiansimen Bridge and look back. To avoid the lift queues, enter from the top via Xiaoshizi station.
02
Liziba monorail station (李子坝)
Line 2 trains run straight through a residential building. The free viewing platform is outside the station, across the road; trains pass every few minutes. Morning light is best.
03
Yangtze River Cableway (长江索道)
A four-minute cable car across the Yangtze with skyline views. The north station is next to Xiaoshizi metro. Weekend evening queues can pass an hour, so go on a weekday morning or ride one way only.
04
Jiefangbei and Kuixinglou (解放碑 · 魁星楼)
Jiefangbei is the pedestrian shopping heart of the city. Nearby Kuixinglou shows the city's 8D layout best: its ground-level square is on the 22nd floor.
05
Raffles City and The Crystal (来福士 · 探索舱)
A glass sky bridge about 250 metres up at Chaotianmen, where the two rivers meet. Good for sunset and a glass-floor view.
06
Nanshan Yikeshu viewpoint (南山一棵树观景台)
The best panorama of the whole city at night, on the hills across the river in Nan'an. Go by taxi; allow two hours.
07
Eling Park and Eling Testbed (鹅岭公园 · 贰厂)
A hilltop park with a viewing tower, next to a converted factory of cafés and murals that appears in the film I Belonged to You.
08
Ciqikou Old Town (磁器口)
Old lanes, snacks and teahouses by the Jialing River, on Metro Line 1. Busy at weekends; go early.
09
Three Gorges Museum (三峡博物馆)
Free and walk-in with your passport. Open 09:00–17:00, closed on Mondays except public holidays. A good rainy-day choice.
10
Wulong Karst (武隆天生三桥)
Giant natural stone bridges and gorges where Transformers was filmed. Since June 2025 a high-speed train reaches Wulong in about 35 minutes, then a coach to the park. Book timed tickets ahead; a full day trip.
11
Dazu Rock Carvings (大足石刻)
UNESCO-listed Buddhist cliff carvings. About 30–45 minutes by train to Dazu South, then a local bus or car. A half-day to full-day trip.
A 4-day Chongqing plan
01
Day 1: Arrive and see the city lit up
Land at Terminal 3 and take Metro Line 10 into the city. Check in near Jiefangbei, try a first bowl of Chongqing noodles, then walk to Hongyadong for the lights and cross Qiansimen Bridge for the view back.
02
Day 2: The 8D city
Morning at Liziba for the monorail, then Eling Park and Eling Testbed. Afternoon at Kuixinglou and the Yangtze River Cableway. Hotpot for dinner, then Raffles City or Nanshan for the night view.
03
Day 3: Old town and museum
Ciqikou Old Town early before the crowds, the Three Gorges Museum in the afternoon, and a riverside walk at Chaotianmen.
04
Day 4 (optional): Wulong Karst
High-speed train from Chongqing East to Wulong South, coach to the Three Natural Bridges, and back by evening. Or swap for Dazu Rock Carvings.
What to eat
- Chongqing hotpot. Ask for 微辣 (wei la, mild) or a split pot (鸳鸯锅) if you prefer less spice
- Xiaomian (重庆小面), spicy breakfast noodles
- Laziji (辣子鸡), chilli chicken
- Suanlafen (酸辣粉), hot and sour sweet-potato noodles
- Bingfen (冰粉), a cool jelly dessert that helps with the spice
Where to stay
- Jiefangbei / Yuzhong: Walk to Hongyadong, the cableway and the mosque; metro at Xiaoshizi and Jiaochangkou. Best for a first visit. For example: Atour Hotel Jiefangbei (4-star, near the mosque); The Westin Chongqing Liberation Square (5-star) (reference only).
- Chaotianmen: River views where the two rivers meet, at Raffles City. For example: InterContinental Chongqing Raffles City (5-star) (reference only).
- Guanyinqiao / Jiangbei: Newer shopping district across the river, with river-view rooms and good metro links. For example: Atour Hotel Guanyinqiao Beibin 1st Road Riverview (4-star) (reference only).
Halal food and mosques
Chongqing Mosque (重庆清真寺) at Jiaochangkou in Yuzhong is the main mosque in the city centre, open daily with Friday prayer. It sits inside the Chongqing Muslim Building, and the streets around it have the city's best halal food, including halal hotpot. Jiefangbei is a 10–15 minute walk away. Ask at the front desk for the prayer hall.
Mosques
- Chongqing Mosque (重庆清真寺), 5 Zhongxing Road, Jiaochangkou, Yuzhong District (渝中区较场口中兴路5号). Metro Jiaochangkou, Lines 1 and 2, exit 4
Halal options
- Halal hotpot on Zhongxing Road at Jiaochangkou, such as Ma Duizhang Halal Hotpot (马队长重庆清真火锅) and Zhen Yi Shun (真伊顺), in and around the Muslim Building
- Qingjuzhai Halal Restaurant (庆聚斋清真餐厅), run by the mosque, on the ground floor of the Muslim Building
- Ningxia Hui dishes at Huixiangzhai (宁夏回乡斋), opposite the mosque
- Lanzhou beef noodles and Xinjiang lamb, found across the city under the 清真 sign
Chongqing for business
Chongqing is a manufacturing and logistics hub for Western China.
- One of China's largest automotive and motorcycle manufacturing centres
- Yangtze River port and China–Europe rail freight
- Chengdu about 1 hour away by high-speed train
Getting there and around
- From Bangkok: direct flights take about 3 hours. Thai AirAsia and Thai Lion Air fly from Don Mueang; Chongqing Airlines and China West Air fly from Suvarnabhumi. Schedules change by season, so check before booking.
- Thai passport holders enter China visa-free for up to 30 days per visit. From late September 2026, announcements at Chaotianmen, Xiaoshizi and Liziba metro stations are also in Thai.
- Airport to the centre: Metro Line 10, changing to Line 6 for Xiaoshizi or Line 2 for Jiefangbei, about 50–60 minutes. Line 3 is slower.
- Pay for the metro by scanning the Alipay transport code at the gate; foreign cards linked to Alipay work.
- High-speed trains reach Chengdu in about 1 hour from Chongqing North or West. Wulong trains leave from Chongqing East; Dazu trains from Shapingba.
- The city is steep. Taxis are cheap and save a lot of stairs; wear comfortable shoes.
- Thai citizens in need of help: Chongqing is covered by the Royal Thai Consulate-General in Chengdu.
Questions
How long is the flight from Bangkok to Chongqing?
About three hours on a direct flight. Thai AirAsia and Thai Lion Air fly from Don Mueang, and Chongqing Airlines and China West Air from Suvarnabhumi. Chongqing is one hour ahead of Bangkok.
Do Thai people need a visa for Chongqing?
No. Thai passport holders can enter China visa-free for up to 30 days per visit for tourism, business or visiting family, with no more than 90 days in any 180 days.
How many days do you need in Chongqing?
Three days covers Hongyadong, Liziba, the cableway, Ciqikou and a night view. Add a fourth day for Wulong Karst or the Dazu Rock Carvings.
Where can Muslim travellers eat and pray in Chongqing?
Stay near Jiefangbei. Chongqing Mosque at Jiaochangkou holds daily and Friday prayers, and halal hotpot, noodles and Hui restaurants are on the same street.
Is Chongqing hotpot too spicy?
Order 微辣 (mild) or a split pot with a non-spicy broth. Halal hotpot restaurants near the mosque offer the same choices.
When is the best time to visit Chongqing?
Mid-April to May and late September to early November. July and August are very hot and humid, and the 1–7 October holiday is very crowded.
Which films were shot in Chongqing?
Better Days (少年的你) used the Crown Escalator and old residential blocks; I Belonged to You used Jiefangbei, Eling Testbed and Qiansimen Bridge; Transformers filmed at Wulong. We can build a film-location day.
Can you book the cableway, Wulong tickets and hotels for us?
Yes. We plan the days, book timed tickets and hotels, arrange a car for the hills, and answer questions on LINE within 24 hours.
Opening hours, routes and rules change. Check before you travel.
